There are many known devices for measuring energy usage in an electrical circuit. Some involve insertion of components within a circuit to measure the current consumption. Others measure the electrical current without making contact with the circuit using technologies such as an inductive wire coil or by using a sensor that makes use of the Hall Effect. Most of these devices involve the placement of a coil or Hall-effect sensor within proximity to the conductor carrying the current that is to be measured and used in the calculation of energy consumption. These devices are typically designed to sense the current from one circuit at a time and communicate the information to a device that may display the reading or forward the information on to a central system.
Standard electricity meters used by the electricity suppliers for billing may aggregate the usage from a number of circuits, but they effectively measure this usage only as the total usage from all circuits at a point in time. However, measuring the electrical consumption from a number of circuits in parallel to get a system-level view of energy use typically requires the placement of individual sensors for each circuit and wiring of these sensors to a collection device.
In larger installations, such as industrial facilities, the current consumption in multiple circuits will usually be measured in parallel. Such systems are often wired in at the time the electrical circuit is installed and require the installation services of electricians. Given the labor costs associated with installation, such systems are not typically practical or available for homeowners and non-industrial businesses.
Therefore there is a need for an improved energy monitoring system that enables energy usage patterns and consumption to be determined at a circuit breaker level.